Island Wings

- to enjoy, learn about, & preserve the diverse natural habitats of these islands & beyond

Volume 18 Number 4 January-February 2008

PROGRAM PAL-TO-PAL WEBPAGE OFFERS
OWLS OF VASHON LOCALLY LED FIELD TRIPS
Owl Prowler Jamie Acker WORLDWIDE
While looking for birding places or opportunities near
7pm, THURSDAY, January 17, 2008
Paris, France, Island birdwatcher Bob Hawkins found
Land Trust Building 10014 SW Bank Rd. that the Birding Pal webpage (www.birdingpal.org)
Contact: Laura Bienen 206 567-4613 gave him exactly what he wanted. The site offers a
The Owls of Vashon, topic network of birders all over the globe.
for the January Audubon These birders list themselves on-line
program, will bring you as willing to guide visitors into their
outside in this season of long home habitats. The bird pals do this,
nights. Night is the best to not for money, but to share the joy of
observe our Island owls. birding in their home territories and to
Whooo is hooting? extend friendly hands to visitors.
Master Birder Jamie Acker In addition to the birder-to-birder
will be our presenter. From contacts, the Birding Pal site offers
Bainbridge Island, he is the following information under the
active in Kitsap Audubon. headings of Bird Forum, Upcoming
Owl Bird Bander Trips, Birding Links, Guides for Hire,
Although birding for over 30 and Lodging List. The Lodging List
years, he has specialized in includes local birding notes and
studying the owls on lodging descriptions and costs.
Bainbridge Island since Hawkins' experience was positive.
1995, in particular the Barred He praises the French birder who took
Owl. As a licensed owl Hawkins to "an amazingly good spot
bander, he has banded many to go considering the time of year [late
of Baindridge's Barred Owls. autumn] and proximity to Paris--a
In the last four years, he has nature preserve that was once the
equipped some with radio headwaters for the Versailles
telemetry. fountains. Much of the reserve is
He also bands Northern locked, but he had the key. He does
Saw-whet Owls in an attempt the official counts within the reserve.
to help further understand "His methods are exactly as I'd
this common migratory owl. expect. We first walked through
Present Vashon's Owls deciduous woodlands observing
In Ed Swan's Birds of mainly passerines, went to a couple of
Vashon, Vashon's most blinds overlooking wetlands for
common owls are listed as waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, then to
Barred Owl perched in a cedar Photo by Jamie Acker
the Great Horned Owl and a park for thrushes, woodpeckers. He
Barred Owl, both nesting here. The Barred is steadily increasing asked us if we wanted to see Long-eared Owls
in numbers here. As the Island's agricultural fields and buildings (which spoken with a French accent is a mouth full of
disappeared, so did the Barn Owl and Short-eared Owl, although empty vowels), and we saw three roosting; we were
still occasionally seen. Perhaps this year, if Arctic conditions are almost eyeball to eyeball with them."
in upheaval or an irruption occurs, Snowy Owls will grace our In addition, while Hawkins is an avid birder, his
shoreline or fields, a very rare occurrence. wife Bette accompanied him on the birding day and
This program is free of charge, coffee and cookies are enjoyed the tour of the countryside by a
provided, and all are welcome. Submitted by Laura Bienen knowledgeable resident.
Island Audubon Needs Your Skills FOUR STATE BIRDING TRAIL MAPS
(Not Necessarily Your Birding Skills) READY TO GO
Following loops through birding territory, four
You are methodic, intelligent, tidy, friendly, sales savvy. Birding Trail maps lead birdwatchers through the
Do you read? Do you hang out in book stores? Do you love guide State's Southwest,
books? Are you curious about natural science? Can you count Cascades, Olympic
money? Can you order, list, store (in an Audubon rental Peninsula, and
unit), and delete inventory (books, bird boxes, maps Coulee areas. The
etc.)? Can you set up a display? Can you smile and maps also provide
encourage folks to buy, buy, buy? Are you on-Island for habitat descriptions,
Strawberry Festival?
access directions,
We need you as Chapter Merchandise Coordinator.
and best time to go.
You are personable, communicative, quick witted, creative The full-color art is
planner. by Ed Newbold.
Can you use the phone and/or email? Do you know how to beam Proposed maps will
in on the varied Vashon volunteer networks? Can you cover Columbia
take volunteer signup sheets and follow through on River, Spokane, and
soliciting participation. Can you say thank you, come Puget Sound areas.
again?
At $4.95 each,
We need you as our Volunteer Coordinator.
maps can be ordered
You are a teacher, conversationalist, curious, versatile, from Washington
responsive. State Audubon at
Do you like grade-school children, bird habitat, posing wa.audubon.org.
and answering questions, learning about Island birds and
its ecological history. Do you have eyes on the back of
your head? >VOLUNTEER TODAY>
We need you on the 4th-Grade Birding Program.
Start the New Year Right!
You have visual and verbal acuity, work well with others, and
are curious about how to communicate. Chapter Merchandise Coordinator
Are you adept at creating text and using visuals to inform folks Please consider this position. It isn't a big time
about Puget Sound birds? Can you ask for project commitment and you meet many interesting people.
money? Do you know signage material: cost, life The job includes selection and sales of books and
expectancy? other merchandise, as well as coordinating the set-up
We need you to help with the ferry-boat signs describing for Strawberry Festival and Holly Daze sales.
local marine birds. Jill Andrews: 463-9909
See Volunteer Box, Column #2
Volunteer Coordinator
Visit our website The chapter needs someone to oversee our
volunteer process. Someone to contact, record,
www.vashonaudubon.org solicit, train volunteers, and then link them to
appropriate projects. Are you the one?
Vashon-Maury Island Audubon Board Jill Andrews: 463-9909
Officers:
President Jill Andrews 463-9909 A Sign at the Ferry Dock
Vice President Sue Trevathan 463-1484 VMIAS has a grant for, and permission to, install a
Secretary Mary O'Brien 463-6209 permanent sign at the north end ferry terminal. Now
Treasurer Lindsay Hofman 463-5356 we need artists and designers to help get the work
Chairs: done. Are you interested?
Conservation Michelle Ramsden 206 406-3723 Jill Andrews: 463-9909
Education Sue Trevathan 463-1484
Kathryn True 567-5389 4th Grade Birding Program
Field Trips Sherry Bottoms 463-1312 Here's an opportunity to share your love of birds and
Island Wings Barbara Chasan 463-2571 help develop the same love in children. The program
Ann Spiers 463-9858 occurs in February at Chautauqua Elementary. Sue
Membership Ron Simons 463-3627 Trevathan could use help in the classrooms with the
Randy Smith 567-5333 bird skin display, use of binoculars and scopes,
Programs Laura Bienen 567-4613 especially on the all-day field trip.
Publicity Jean Aspinall 463-3178 Please call 463-1484 or e-mail
Basha Brownstein 463-4135 [email protected].
Welcome Fran O'Reilly 463-4255
 swans. Some Sanderling were also at Fern Cove.
SWAN'S NOTABLE SIGHTINGS November 9: Bob Hawkins saw a Brown Pelican off
What was seen: the Tahlequah ferry this evening.
October 23: A bright male Eurasian Wigeon was at November 20: Richard Rogers saw 50+ Common
Lisabeula. Andrea Wuenschel found two male Eurasians in Mergansers in the Christensen Cove at Lisabeula
the Ellisport wigeon flock. I'm pretty sure that flock keeps herding the fish into shallow water today.
separate from the flock over by Lisabeula, so there are at November 30: This morning I saw that the male
least 3 males around. I also saw another Eurasian male in a Kestrel had returned to its usual spot at the south
flock by the Colvos Apts. up toward Fern Cove, but I don't end of Misty Isles on 232rd. It was working its way
know if it's the Lisabeula bird or another. (Nov 18: My wife around the fields using the small planted maple trees
and I easily picked out at least 3 males at Ellisport without as perches. Recently, Gary Shugart was out at Pt.
using binoculars. A thorough look with binoculars might Robinson and said: Out in the middle Murres were
even find more. The wigeon flocks are worth looking flying south in small groups, but then there were
through for pintail, gadwell and other rare or even extremely smaller alcids in a ragged line that splash down in the
rare species if you have the time.) A Northern Harrier was water. Saw this twice with groups of about 10 and 15-
flying steadily south over Fern Cove. I later heard that Rich -flying along and then splash. The splash was visible.
Siegrist saw the harrier fly over him just a mile or so south I've seen Ancient Murrelets do this off Pt. Townsend
of Fern Cove after I saw it. A flock of 20 or so male and in about the same place they were today--they fly
Barrow's Goldeneye was back by the marina at Burton along then land/dive. Saw a flock once disappear into
along with some male Bufflehead. A flock of female a wave. So something to watch for--I would give it a
Bufflehead was in Tramp Harbor. 95% probability they were ancients.
October 28: Gary Shugart has his banded White-throated December 3: Dan Willsie called to tell me he had a
Sparrow back for at least its third winter. It's a tan-striped Black-legged Kittiwake give him a good long look
one. (Oct 15: Barbara Chasan reported a white-striped W-t sitting on a log at the front of his house this morning.
Sparrow at their place near Cove. Nov 5: The Findley's This is the first documented record since one from
have a W-t Sparrow at their place on inner Quartermaster about 90 years ago. They are rare to very rare in
Harbor, a white-striped one. Dec 2: We seem to be having central Puget Sound waters. Likely blown in by the
more W-t Sparrows than usual this year. Barbara Chasan storm.
closely examined her flock the other day and found 3 at December 7: Larry Huggins saw about 10 Brants
once. The Findley's also report 2 coming to their place, and about mid channel, the first of the season.
I assume Gary Shugart still has his.) Andrea Wuenschel December 8: The Audubon/Enjoyment of Birds field
had a Sharpie swoop within 3 feet of her as she was doing trip found two Lesser Yellowlegs at Raab's Lagoon
one of the counts with Don Norman down on Maury Island. this morning for the second winter record for Vashon.
October 30: The Findleys saw the first Common December 12: John Arum scoped a Long-tailed
Goldeneye of the season at their place between Judd Duck off the Tramp Harbor fishing pier. (Dec 14: A
Creek and the marina on Quartermaster Harbor. Either Joy male and a female L-t Duck were loosely associating
Nelsen or Gary Shugart or both saw Lg Scaup at the Old with the Greater Scaup flock just off the Tramp
Mill Road Pond at the end of October. Harbor pier. I got my first look from about 25 feet.
November 1: Gary Shugart has seen a Parasitic Jaeger Thanks to John for reporting the earlier bird,
from the Tahlequah ferry the last two days and today a otherwise I probably wouldn't have been thinking to
Heermann's Gull was sitting on the railing of the old dock look through all of the ducks around the pier. It just
next door to the ferry. (Nov. 4: Gary saw the H. Gull at goes to show you can't get too jaded and stop
Tahlequah again today. Nov 20: Gary again saw a looking at the usual old birds. This is my 197 species
Heermann's Gull at the T. dock and a P. Jaeger about a for Vashon over 8 years of birding here.) Joy Nelsen
quarter mile out. That's later by 3 weeks than any other has had Merlins at her place.
jaeger since I started keeping track in 2000. It's also about December 14: At least 4-5 Eared Grebes were with
that much later than all of the Pierce County records I have the larger mixed-species flock of birds that develops
which is fairly extensive at this point.) At least a dozen between the Tramp Harbor fishing pier and the
Pacific Loons, some still in breeding plumage, were off pilings just south at high tide.
Manzanita today. Nearby was a flock of Black Scoters. A I've tallied up the species seen so far this year
Snow Bunting was seen on one of the Ft. Lewis prairies and altogether at least 169 have been reported for
today. They might possibly be seen in one of our farm fields Vashon/Maury.
or at Pt. Robinson, Manzanita or KVI or Lisabeula. Addendum:
November 7: Abel from the Land Trust reports that there December 18: Gary Shugart saw a Peregrine at Raab's
were 3 Trumpeter Swans at Fisher Pond. I'll count them as Lagoon.
Trumpeters probably even though Abel didn't give details. December 26: Marianne and Kathy Kirkland reported a
Tundras and Trumpeters can be hard to tell apart but the Greater White-fronted Goose with the Canada Geese at
low numbers and location favor Trumpeter Swans. Both the mouth of Judd Creek today. I found it and a Greater
might be expected to be seen migrating overhead with Yellowlegs. This is the first winter Greater Yellowlegs
some possible landings like last fall when quite a few made record and a rare chance to see a GWF Goose because
stops. they usually can only be seen or heard overhead in
migration.
November 8: I found about 15 Black Turnstones at Fern December 27:. Bent and Marie Blichfeldt had 44 Band-
Cove after looking to no avail at Fisher's Pond for the tailed Pigeons come to their place in Dockton recently.
Vashon-Maury Island Audubon Society
P.O. Box 838 NONPROFIT ORG
Vashon Island, WA 98070 U. S. POSTAGE
PAID
VASHON, WA
PERMIT NO.140

The Varied Thrushes

hop about beside themselves
rain-flushed worms....
oh, man!

Helen Russell
Paradise Cove/Issaquah

January/February 2008
Saturday, January 12, 8-10am -- Ober Park 'n' Ride
ISLAND AUDUBON FIELD TRIP -- Monthly Second Saturday. Bring binoculars/scope if you have them! Sherry Bottoms
463-1312.

LAND TRUST'S ANNUAL NATIVE PLANT & TREE SALE -- 10am-2pm -- Land Trust Building, 10014 SW Bank Road.
Beth Bordner 463-2644, [email protected].

Thursday, January 17, 7pm -- Land Trust Building, 10014 SW Bank Road
VASHON AUDUBON PROGRAM -- Owls of Vashon. Presenter Jamie Acker. Laura Bienen 567-4613.

Saturday, January 19, 9am-1pm -- around Judd Creek

LAND TRUST TREE-PLANTING WORK PARTY-- Beth Bordner 463-2644 or [email protected].

Tuesday, January 29, 9am-1pm -- Paradise Cove

LAND TRUST TREE-PLANTING WORK PARTY -- Beth Bordner 463-2644 or [email protected].

Thursday, February 7, 7 pm -- First Thursday every even-numbered month

VMIAS BOARD MEETING -- Phone Jill Andrews for confirmation, 463-9909.

Saturday, February 9, 8-10am -- Ober Park'n'Ride

ISLAND AUDUBON FIELD TRIP -- Monthly Second Saturday. Bring binoculars/scope if you have them! Sherry Bottoms
463-1312.

Wednesday, February 13, 9am-1pm -- Island Center Forest

LAND TRUST TREE-PLANTING WORK PARTY -- Beth Bordner 463-2644 or [email protected].